Always Wrong
by Typhoid Mary4
Summary: Bulma is after the dragon balls again. Feeling ignored by Vegeta, afraid of her wrinkles, and in need of the perfect boyfriend, Bulma secretly goes off in search of a wish. Suspicious of her odd behavior, Piccolo pursues her quietly. PicXBulX slight Veg
1. Prologue Development

Of course she believed that Vegeta cared. She could see the ways that he did. But she could also see the ways that he didn't. Not only were there limitations in his powers, but there were limitations in his emotions, and it was up to her to decide what limitations she would accept. His limitations affected her too, after all.

She deserved more. She was beautiful, smart, compassionate and damn it! Maybe it was true what Krillin said, that her taste was all wrong in men, but how the hell was she supposed to control her own emotions? She had needs to be met!

Part of her wanted to go after the dragon balls again and finally make that wish for the perfect boyfriend.

But she wasn't young anymore. Bra was a teenager now, and she… she had wrinkles. Wrinkles! She was the smartest inventor in the world and she couldn't find an invention to cure wrinkles? What the hell!

Geez… maybe that was why Vegeta seemed so distant. A Saiyans' lifespan lasted so much longer than a human's. Chi chi was lucky in that Goku didn't care about age, yet part of her suspected that Goku also didn't also understand anything about a woman's needs. After all, he was so pure that he could still ride nimbus…

Did Chi chi rape him? Oh dear! She shouldn't be thinking about Son like that!

But that wasn't the point. Bulma always knew that she was seductive. And she was an heiress. AND a genius.

And it wasn't enough.

She'd grown her hair out to try to make herself look younger. It curled softly to frame her face, and the blue tints only highlighted the shade of her eyes.

Vegeta's obsession on Goku made her feel invisible. Even though she had no doubt that there was a part of him that loved her, it wasn't enough to save her. Kami, Vegeta would cut off his own nose to spite his face. And she loved him.

Why?

It was time for a vacation, she realized. Her children didn't need a babysitter. She needed some time alone to care about her own wellbeing.

Maybe more. Mutin Roshi had mentioned that he drank from the fountain of eternal youth, and she had a sudden drive to taste that liquid. She would never be able to keep up with the Z fighters with her age; the only chance she had was with her brain, but what would happen to her fragile human body?

Her adventures were not over yet.


	2. Little Pink Skirt

Author's Note: Thanks for the amazing comments! I really didn't think I'd get any attention with this story simply because of the pairing. It's good to know there are some shippers out there that aren't all for Vegeta. And I didn't get flames from the Bugeta lover's either! Awesome! I do want to add, however, that I like Vegeta with Bulma just as much as Piccolo. They are a lot alike, but also extremely different. That's pretty much why this story is being written. It's going to explore that.

Also, I can't remember if I mentioned that there's going to be lemon. Tangy lemon. Later. I plan on starting with a splash of citrus, though, just because I hate waiting.

Okay, I know this is a long author's note, sorry, but I also want to mention that this is based more off of the manga than the anime series. I figured that would be important to put out there.

I also don't own anything except for my internet connection. That's right, I don't even own my laptop .

Chapter One: Wanting

Bulma's mother had used the myriad of rooms in Capsule Corp. to their full advantage. That woman didn't throw away anything. Bulma coughed as she moved the boxes around in the cellar. This was where she had found her first dragon ball. In her mind, she considered this the place where her life had really started. Before her quest, before Gokou, there was nothing worth remembering. Sure, bad things seem to follow him, but she was always up for the ride. She thought she might almost start missing all of the action, but she enjoyed the peace, too.

Here were her highschool belongings. Bunny had saved everything—right down to the clothes that would no longer fit her and she would no way in hell offer to her daughter. Bra had way more fashion sense than to wear last generation's style. She took after her mom.

Bulma clicked open the capsule that had the date of the same year she had met Gokou. They popped up before her perfectly folded and pressed, untouched by the time that had passed. Her heart fluttered in her throat as she looked down at the petite pink skirt and shirt that had her name typed on the front and 97 on the back. She frowned as she held up the skirt. There was no way in hell she'd be able to fit into it now. She sighed as she let the skirt fall into her lap. Time was the world's enemy right now, and not even Gokou could save her. Only the dragon balls…

That was it! Oh, she was so happy that Dende had upgraded the dragon balls to two wishes! She was going to wish for her youth back! She giggled and gathered the clothes into her arms. As soon as she wished for her gorgeous looks back (or should she say gorgeous-er?) she was going to prance around in those adorable miniskirts like there was no tomorrow!

After she dumped the old clothes onto her bed she swept her hands through her hair, grimacing as the dust floated through the air. She was definitely going to need a bath before her quest. As she reached a hand out towards the bathroom door, she was surprised when it opened before she could even grab the knob as Vegeta towered in front of her. He was certainly shorter than most men that she knew, but damn if he couldn't make his presence make him seem as if he exceeded six feet. There were times that his demeanor alone could make him seem like the most powerful man in the world. She knew differently, however, but she never let that thought pass her lips.

"Well, hey sexy," she grinned as she eyed his glistening body, wet down to his towel-covered waist from the shower he had just taken. "What a surprise. Training over already?"

"It would seem so," his voice came out as a dangerous purr, and she drew her eyes up to meet his. He looked hungry, and not for her cooking. Her mouth twitched slightly in pleasure at the attention he was giving her. Finally.

Then a thought occurred to her, which made her heart sink. Maybe he wasn't here simply because he wanted to be with her. "You didn't break the gravity room, did you?"

He scoffed, his arms bulging as they crossed over his chest. "I think I can control myself better than _that._" He smirked at her, "maybe you'd like to see just how well I can control my strength…"

She let her eyebrow arch. "Oh really? And here I was hoping you wouldn't hold back." She gave him her best mimic of a Vegeta smirk she could as she lowered her eyelids seductively.

His smile widened, his canines flashing. "Oh, really?" this time he was mimicking her voice playfully. He growled in the back of his throat, drawing his body close to her. He always radiated such intense heat. It was delectable.

Bulma giggled, deciding to play hard to get. "Move," she said, putting her fingertips on his chest and pushing. "I need a shower."

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her further to him. "Maybe you should wait. Something tells me you might get… dirtier." His gravelly voice sent chills down her spine, and she could feel the twist of need between her thighs.

Cocking her head, she gave him a smile with a hint of evil in it. "I don't like dirt. Besides, maybe I'm used to _playing_ alone. After all," she tossed her hair willfully, "I have been tragically alone for quite some time now."

Vegeta frowned as he gripped her shoulders. "Shut up," he pushed her backwards towards the bed, and she fell with a squeak onto the plush lavender duvet. Vegeta slid over her with cat-like reflexes, his face close to her skin as he breathed in her scent as he crawled over her. His hand hit the pile of clothes next to her and he looked up with curiosity, picking up the pink skirt on top. He looked back at her with a raised eyebrow. "Planning on going somewhere?"

Bulma looked at the skirt, her lips twitching as her mind raced. She couldn't tell him what she was planning on. Then again, he might not care. Better be prudent, however.

"You don't really think that would fit me, do you? I just bought those for Bra." Thank Dende he had no idea what girls wore on Earth.

"Hmph." He threw the short skirt out of the way, and with a sweep of a hand cleared the rest of the bed from the pile of clothes before staring down at her again. "I'd rather not think of them right now." His face plunged down as he captured her lips with her own, biting them softly as he urged her to open her lips for him. She complied and immediately felt his tongue dart in, plundering her own soft mouth like a conquest. He liked it when she fought back. He liked the challenge. What would happen if she didn't give him that satisfaction? What if, for just one night, she let herself be the submissive, compliant female?

As tempting as it was, she realized that it just wasn't her. In a way, if she did that, it would just be another way to fight back. She giggled against his lips at the thought of this.

"What's so funny?" he whispered as his hands slid up her dress, his fingers hooking into the band of her lacy underwear. "Do I amuse you?"

"No," she told him, her eyes dark with desire. "You excite me."

Vegeta smiled ruthlessly as he ripped her panties down her thighs and traced his hands back up to her pelvis. The dress bunched up above his wrists as his hands advanced up her body, revealing her creamy skin to him. He leaned down and gently bit the inside of her thigh, breathing deeply as he took in the scent of her sex. She writhed underneath him with need, that private cache squirming in invitation. It had been so long since he had felt himself buried within her. As much as he wanted to drag it out and play with her, he couldn't prolong his need. He tore her dress off unceremoniously, ignoring her cry of dismay. Later he would have to listen to her complain about losing yet another garment, but right now he didn't care.

He closed his eyes as he shoved his hips against hers. He closed his eyes as his member invaded her body. She gasped as she was filled, lovely and excruciating. She stared at him, her eyes filled with desire. His eyes were still closed.

He pounded into her with a rampant fever, seeking an ends to a mean. His hands gripped her thighs as he pulled her up against him, closing in on her as if he meant to absorb her into his own body. She felt as if she had been splayed like a piece of meat, her legs sprawled against his shoulders, her fingers clawing at the biceps that held her down.

And then it was over. She had only just begun to enjoy it, but he had clearly had his fill. He inhaled deeply in satisfaction before his body leaned over hers, slowly softening in content. He grunted into her neck as he rested for a moment, gathering his wits. Usually, this would be the time when he would harden again and move her somewhere else; either in a different position or into a different part of the house—something more to toy with. Just something more.

But he pushed himself up; away. He glanced into her eyes only for a second before he turned and gathered his clothes, murmuring something about training some more.

"Vegeta," she murmured, but he was already out the door. Bulma stared at the eggshell carpet, blinking against the tears that refused to percolate. She had never cried for a man before, she wasn't going to start now. No, she was going to do something about it. She had never been as strong as the others; but that had never stopped her. No way. Now her mind was made up more than ever.

She wasn't going to be used. And she wasn't going to spend the rest of her life questioning her feelings. When had she become the puppet?

The lunches were packed and the note had been written. Knowing Vegeta's schedule, he wouldn't realize what had happened until she was long gone. And he wouldn't be able to trace her ki. If he tried. She doubted that he would try.

She pressed the button of the dragon radar once to show the location of all of the dragon balls. With another press, it zoomed in on the closest one to her. Close to Karin's tower. Not a surprise. For some reason, at least one ball always landed near that location, as if it were looking for home. That would be her first stop.

She was going to head off in one of her fastest jets. She had packed a submarine, two motorcycles, a car and a small hoi poi house to rest in. She never was the type of camping girl, so her new hoi poi house capsule had plenty of room for any visitor she might need. It would be nice to meet some other alien boy to help her on her journey, but the chances of that weren't likely. Still, experience encouraged her to plan ahead.

A/N Again: I meant for this to be longer, but encountered a block (go figure). I hope the next one won't take too long to write, but I do have finals coming up, and this is my last year of college.

And when the lemon occurs again (and it will) it's going to be a lot stronger than it was in this chapter. If it doesn't get taken down. This one mostly focused on emotion.

Next chapter Piccolo makes his appearance, don't fret.


	3. The TwoStar Ball

Author's Note: Finals are CRAZY this year! I have to say that I'm a little less than satisfied with this chapter, but it's been way too long since I've posted. My stupid buttons are sticking; I think my ferret spilled something on the keyboard. That little shit :3. Anyway, my mind is occupied with the ten essays I have to write, but obsessing about this story. It's really not good for an attention span to multi-task.

I watched a couple of episodes of DBZ online; they're way different from the manga! I'm going to have to try to sync the personalities with both medias now. No wonder everybody seems to hate Bulma—she's almost insufferable in the animated version! Okay, like I said before, this is going to ride more on the wings of the manga (that means I have no idea who certain characters are).

That stupid ball _would_ have to be at the top of the damn tower. What was it doing up there anyway? They were supposed to land on the ground, or at the bottom of the ocean, not next to Earth's freaking atmosphere!

Bulma huffed as she slammed the door to her hovercar closed, bringing her fists up to dig into her hips as she glared up the pole that defied physics and disappeared into nothing. Around her the feather clad guardians of the sacred land of Korin poked their heads out of their tents, looking at her as if she were an alien. Bulma ignored them as she debated on her approach to her first victory. No plane would reach Korin's tower; if they could, what would be the point, right? But Bulma was no she-hulk, and certainly couldn't pull herself up there, not that she would risk breaking a nail anyway. Every time she had been up to Kami's Lookout she had been flown by one of the boys—the very people she was trying to avoid now because she knew that they would try to talk her out of this. Fat chance on that one.

"HEY! KORIN!" Bulma cupped her hands around her mouth and projected as much force into her diaphragm as she could muster. Some of the children around her jumped or ran back inside. Some made the same face that Trunks did when he knew that he was in trouble. Once or twice she had even seen that look on Vegeta's face.

"KORIN! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! DON'T MAKE ME COME UP THERE AND GET YOU!"

"Excuse me, miss, can I help you?" a baritone voice answered her, and Bulma turned to meet a very broad and muscular tanned chest. Her eyes bulged as she searched for an end to the expanse of skin, finally finding a very seriously looking face with long black hair.

"Oh. My," Bulma stuttered, blushing slightly. "Well, aren't you… huge…"

"What exactly is your business here in this sacred land?" the man interrogated.

"Oh," Bulma laughed nervously. This would be a great time to have a bite-sized bodyguard. "You know me, just looking for some powerful balls!" When a group of women not too far away began giggling to themselves she realized what she had just said and snapped "Dragon balls! I mean…" why the hell was she admitting this to him? His chest wasn't that big… "Souvenirs…"

"Look," she sighed. "I need to get onto that tower," she explained, her courage coming back to her. "Can you help or not?"

A younger male came up behind the large one that seemed to be blocking the entire solar system and stared at her. "Pa, I think I know her." Bulma looked at him like he was crazy. She didn't remember him.

The boulder turned to look at his son. "What do you mean, Upa? Where could you have met someone as strange as this?"

"Well, I never _met_ her, exactly, but I've seen Goku flying with her before up to Korin's Tower."

The older man's eyebrows shot up in shock. "Goku?"

BY now Bulma had caught on. Who on this planet didn't know Goku? And she was his first and best friend. She was V.I. freaking P. "That's right!" she piped in. "I have very close, _powerful _friends up in that tower, and I need to see them STAT."

"Forgive me," the father said. "My name is Bora, guardian of this tower. But if you do not mind my asking, why can you not simply obtain the help of your "powerful" friends to assist you up the tower?"

Bulma glared at him, silently cursing at him for seeing through her ruse. "Oh, forget this," she spat as she stalked past him and placed her hands on the tower. She'd get up there one way or another.

With a grunt she hoisted herself up a few inches, digging the toe of her hiking boot into a groove of the intricate carving that adorned the massive pole. Her arms wobbled a bit as she pulled herself up a little more, using her legs to help carry the weight. Her other foot came up and found a niche, but she suddenly felt unstable, as if she had lost all of her leverage with the absence of ground beneath her feet. Gravity pulled at her ass, and her fingertips would not cling to the smooth stone as she felt herself leaning backwards, vertigo overcoming her as she suddenly had nothing between her and the ground but air.

She squealed as her butt met the ground, making a reverberating "thud!" She swore she might have even bounced a little.

"Ugh!" she yelled, still huddled on the ground. "This isn't fair! I shouldn't have to be doing all of the manual labor!" She turned and glared at Bora again. "You're a man! Can't you help _just a little_?" Bora stared at her, his face drenched in disbelief at her forwardness. Bulma sniffed and regained her composure, pushing herself onto her feet and brushing the dirt off of her with a dainty touch. She was about to spit out another scathing remark when she felt a rush of air and heard the familiar tap of feet as somebody landed on the ground.

"For a human, you are extremely loud."

She whirled around, excited to hear a familiar voice but disappointed at the same time that it had to be from someone that she couldn't expect too much help from. Piccolo's trademark scowl was right where he usually placed it, but she had seen enough of Vegeta's facial expressions to realize that his grimace wasn't as tense as it had always been. It made sense, though: Piccolo had long ago given up on his vendetta against Goku (not that she could exactly say the same for a certain other alien) and now favored peace. They had all been through a lot together, and between Gohan, Goku and Kami, Piccolo's evil tendencies just didn't stand a chance.

"Hey, Piccolo…" Was she in trouble now? She knew that the Namekian's ears were especially receptive; she wondered if Dende had sent him down, and if she would still be able to get the dragon ball from two angry green dudes. Time to look extra sweet! She lowered her eyelids so that she could look at him coyly from under her lashes as she pursed her lips. "Did you come to help me out? Just couldn't resist a damsel in distress amiright?"

Piccolo almost arched an eyebrow at her. It was obvious she wanted something, although he couldn't think of anything that she would try to pursue without the help of one of the Z fighters. "If you want help with something, you should just ask. Your human wiles won't work on me."

He smirked as her nostrils flared in annoyance and she gripped her hips sternly. "I'll have you know that my 'wiles' work very well, and that they're not wiles at all; some men just enjoy helping me."

This time Piccolo did raise an eyebrow at her, asking her silently whether or not she was going to politely ask for his assistance in whatever it was that she was doing. A battle of wills took place for nearly an entire minute before Bulma's shoulders sagged for a fraction of a second before she scooped her arms up to cross in front of her chest.

"Will you please help me?" she looked away to hide her annoyance. There was no chivalry left in this world.

Piccolo's smirk widened. "No."

Bulma's voice was almost ultrasound as she squeaked a "What?" at him, her hands balling into fists at her sides as her foot pawed at the ground like an agitated horse. He didn't know why, but Bulma's fits of temper had some amusement in them.

"No," he repeated patiently.

"Ooh! I heard you the first time!" She growled. She rand both hands through her blue hair, ignoring the temptation to rip it all out. Looking up at her impossible destination, she knew she was defeated. And on her first damn dragon ball, too. Adventures were for the young, it seemed.

"Please, Piccolo, I just need one thing," she stated somberly, looking over at him with a face that had grown tired over the years. "I doubt it will inconvenience you, and then I will leave."

Piccolo frowned. He did not like the tone in her voice. Bulma never backed down when she wanted something, so the fact that she did know worried him. "What is it?" he asked gruffly, masking his concern.

The realization that he was beginning to give in sent Bulma's heart fluttering for a few moments. Resisting the urge to clap her hands together girlishly she smiled. "Just the dragon ball you have up there!"

Piccolo was taken aback and he blinked at her in surprise. "Just the… what?"

"Dragon ball," this time it was her turn to repeat herself calmly. She could see him set his game face, ready for another war over Earth. She almost giggled at his seriousness, but decided not to tell him that her wish might be on the verge of selfishness. Namekians were a little sensitive about that stuff.

One of his hands disappeared beneath his tunic as he felt around for something. "Is this something that I or Goku should be worried about?" Piccolo asked.

Bulma shook her head furiously, "I have everything under control, lieutenant!" He grimaced, staring at her as if he were trying to decide whether or not to believe her before revealing the two-star ball that he had kept on his person.

"I almost want to ask what your purposes are, but I don't think you would tell me."

Bulma smiled softly at him as she closed the distance between them. As she laid her hand upon the golden ball resting in his palm she looked up into his eyes like the dear friend that he had become over the years. "Oh, Piccolo, you know me so well." Abruptly she snatched the ball up and deposited it in the small satchel attached to her belt, turning and making her way back to her vehicle. "Adios!" she said with a wave of her hand, plopping down on the leather seat and shifting gears with a fluid movement.

The hovercraft roared over the heads of the stunned and silent people of Korin, leaving a trail of light vapor in its wake. The guardian Bora began to turn towards Piccolo to ask him about the scenario that had just played out, but the look in the Namekian's eyes stalled his voice. His ebony pupils were staring at the direction that the female had disappeared, the groove of his forehead indicative of the thoughts that were reeling through his mind.

Something was going on. Nothing serious, or else she wouldn't be by herself. Then again, even if it were a light subject, Bulma was never by herself. She hated being alone, so what was so important that she had to hide from everyone else? It was indeed a curious situation, and Piccolo felt the need to uncover the mystery. Maybe it was just the Kami in him and his penchant for knowing everything that went on around him, but Piccolo couldn't help but be dragged into the plot.

Before Bora could regain his voice, Piccolo had taken to the sky in pursuit of the blue haired stranger.


	4. Feather Duster

Always Wrong 3: Feather Duster

* * *

Man, no matter how many times she traveled, the vastness of planet Earth always amazed her. What was more, there always seemed to be so much uninhabited space. Over six billion people and still room to move around. Guess that's a good thing when there were so many destructive fights, but more often than not it was simply a good excuse to use the planet as a fighting ring.

Bulma parked her car out in the middle of the desert, pulling her hair up into a French twist before she shut off the air conditioner. The next dragon ball was still probably about a day away, so this place was just as good as any to call it a night. At least there wouldn't be anybody to bother her.

"What a depressing sight," she thought aloud to herself as she took out her house hoi poi and looked around. Nothing but rocks and dirt. No vegetation, no water, and no animals. It had to be probably one of the loneliest places on Earth, she figured. "Probably a perfect place for Piccolo!" she laughed, thinking about the solitary creature that filled his existence with meditation.

A few miles away, the green alien grimaced, his arms crossed in front of his chest as he floated out of sight. _What the hell was that supposed to mean?_

"All right then," she exclaimed as she clicked the top of the hoi poi and tossed it in front of her. "Time for some R and R!" She grabbed a shoulder that had gone stiff during the long drive in one hand as she made her way into the modest capsule house. A nice long bath should set things straight.

* * *

Piccolo landed close to the house as the sun began to set, casting a rose hue over the white brick. He could hear her humming inside and water running as her bare feet softly padded along the floor. He could imagine her movements as she went about her daily ritual, completely oblivious to his presence outside. She opened a drawer and pulled out some fabric. No doubt she was in her room pulling out the clothes that she would sleep in. She walked further into the house to where the water was running and he heard more fabric rustle. He could hear the material of her jeans as she pushed it over her hips, jiggling her lush thighs slightly before the pants hit the ground in a heap. Next was her top, her head shaking her hair free as she lifted it over her. She sat on the edge of the bathtub as she unclasped another garment that he couldn't identify, and slowly eased her way into the water. He could almost see the water gently creep over her skin, and couldn't help but wonder how warm the water was against what he imagined was soft, supple skin, but he could tell by the way she sighed that it felt good against her body.

He stiffened. That was enough. Why was he even thinking about that anyway? Right now the only thing that he needed to worry about was any ulterior motives that she had with the dragon balls. He turned and walked towards her car and looked inside. She had left a bag in the back seat. She had probably figured she was safe from bandits out in a place like this; another example of her foolishness. He had easily followed her, so there was no doubt that someone else could have the same opportunity if he wasn't there. He picked up the bag and rustled through it, but there was nothing interesting in it; just a wallet, a mirror, and several other small, useless items. At least she had enough sense to take the dragon ball inside with her.

* * *

"Mmm, much better!" Bulma yawned as she stretched her arms above her head, one towel wrapped securely around her body and another turbaned over her hair. Her skin felt so silky after soaking in the tub, and was still pink from the heat of the water.

She made her way to her bedroom as she ruffled her hair with the towel, wringing the excess water out before carelessly tossing the bklue curls over her shoulder. She had laid an old tank top and silk shorts on the bed and hummed to herself as she began to pull the lower towel off.

As she gripped the edges of the towel she stopped humming, frowning as she looked out the window. It was strange, there was no way anybody could be out there, but she had the weirdest feeling that she wasn't alone. _Get a grip, Bulma_. She clenched her teeth and reached over, shutting the blinds. She wasn't usually so paranoid. Just as the blinds fell to the sill she heard a loud 'clack!' on the surface of the window. She shrieked and fell backwards, clutching the towel tightly across her chest as stared at the window, waiting for the worst to happen. Maybe she had been right, there was someone there! Oh no, what if it was a bandit that had followed her and was now going to take advantage of her vulnerable body? With a trembling hand she reached into the drawer of the bedside table and pulled out a gun, squeezing her finger on the trigger just hard enough to make her feel a little safer. Weapon ready, she stepped forward and in one deft movement pulled the blinds up again, shoving the gun in the direction of the window.

Big innocent eyes stared at her from a ball of fluff, a small beak protruding from the circular body. It tapped the window again with its beak and Bulma exhaled, dropping her gun and collapsing on the bed. Just an animal. How boring. But was she actually _hoping _for something bad to happen? She felt ashamed. Even if it did bring excitement to her life, feeling excited about something like that was just sick. Bulma put her gun back up and walked over to the window and opened it, letting the light shine on the creature.

"Wow, you're really cute," she grinned. She extended a hand towards the animal to see if it would bite, but when it just stared at her fingertips she giggled, picking it up and setting it down on the bed. "You really shouldn't sneak up on a girl like that, but I guess you were just looking for some food." She tilted her head at him as she finished putting her pajamas on. "Man, what are you, anyway?"

It stared at her unblinking in response.

"Hm. Well, let's see what you eat." She picked it up and carried it to the kitchen, making idle conversation while she walked. "You know, my dad would absolutely love you. He has this really weird thing for animals. Maybe I'll take you back with me; he's got plenty of different habitats—I'm sure we could find one that suits you."

She set him down on the kitchen table before turning to rummage through the refrigerator. "Okay, first things first," She began as she filled her hands with a few products. "Carnivore or omnivore?" She placed the plastic containers on the table, removing the lids to various meats and vegetables. She knew the creature probably couldn't understand her, let alone answer her, but she felt comfortable with something to talk to. At least it wasn't telling her to shut up, like Vegeta had so many times before.

The animal bounced towards the containers, using what to propel it Bulma had no clue, and stared at the buffet before it. The fact that it never blinked creeped Bulma out a bit, but she shrugged it off. She had seen weirder.

It looked at the containers, and then looked back at Bulma. After a moment, it made the cutest peeping noise she had ever heard.

"Peep?" she echoed. "What does that mean? You don't like any of these? Well…. What else do I have?" she asked herself as she turned and laid a finger against her lips as she thought. "Okay, well you look like some kind of bird, so maybe nuts!"

As she opened the cabinet door she felt a sharp pain on her palm. She hissed as she withdrew it quickly, bringing it up to her face to inspect the blood that began to percolate from the wound. "A splinter? What the fuck!" Bulma growled and winced at the same time as she brought her hand o her mouth, fishing for the stray shard of wood embedded in her flesh with her teeth.

Behind her she heard the creature purr and coo. Turning, she could see its eyes begin to bulge as its feathers ruffled.

"Hey, what's wrong little guy?" She reached out to it with her good hand, but it leapt towards her, spreading wings she didn't realize it had that seemed to grow longer by the minute. Was it just her, or was its beak growing too? It began to hover over her injured hand.

* * *

Did the woman never stop talking? She would probably strike up a conversation with a wall if left alone long enough. Piccolo's brow furrowed as he concentrated on meditating to no avail. He sighed and focused again, drowning out his surroundings. His mind began to drift away when a scream brought his attention back to reality.

It was Bulma. He shot up and ran to the house; something was growling and throwing furniture around. He stormed through the door and flew across the living room, catching the refrigerator before it landed on the woman's cowering figure. She looked up in surprise when she realized she hadn't been flattened.

"Piccolo? What the fu—!" Her cry was cut off by a howling screech across the room. Piccolo tossed the fridge to the side and glared at the source of the noise. A large creature took up most of the space in the kitchen, it's half-serpent, half-birdlike form curling around as it brought its tail forward to lash out at them. Piccolo grabbed the tail when it struck him and squeezed, his muscles bulging as he attempted to rip the creature in half.

"Bulma, get out of here!" he snapped. She nodded fervently and crawled away, picking herself up to run only when she was out of range of the two. The creature lunged forward, his beak open and ready for the kill, but he was a slow opponent. Piccolo twisted his body so that the tail was the only thing that the snakebird bit into. After tasting its own green blood it let go, its mouth stretching open in a chilling human-like scream. Piccolo rammed his elbow into the side of the monster's face, silencing him. The creature slumped onto the floor unconscious.

Piccolo looked around saw through the open doorway Bulma peeking out from behind her car. When she was certain that the beast posed no more threat she ran into her house, her expression confused and slightly angry.

"What the hell are you doing here? Didn't I just see you at Korin's?" Her eyebrows rose as she came to the conclusion, "Did you _follow_ me?"

"You're welcome," he muttered as he walked past her and exited the house. He was a little pissed at her lack of gratitude, but hadn't really expected it. Her reaction at his presence taking precedence over her emotions made absolute sense. He planned on resuming his meditation, but Bulma had other ideas. Wanting answers, she followed him out, arms crossed firmly over her chest.

"Why are you following me, Piccolo?" she asked. "Afraid I can't handle myself?"

Piccolo smirked, his eyes closed as he crossed his legs. "Yes, you were doing so well."

Bulma pouted, growling slightly. She knew she had lost, and she was really happy that he had happened to be there. She turned and stuck her nose in the air. "Well… thank you."

"Apology accepted."

Bulma ruffled and turned back to him. Apology? Why that smug little son of a bitch! "What? Why should I apologize? I'm not the one stalking people!"

"You should get some sleep."

"Hey! Don't try to change the subject," she shook a finger at him. "I never asked for your help."

Piccolo frowned and opened his eyes, giving Bulma a penetrating look. "Why are you looking for the dragon balls, Bulma?"

Bulma inwardly drew back. She had never really heard him say her name before, so it sounded kind of strange to hear it in his voice. "That's… none of your business," she said in a quiet voice that was almost a stage whisper.

"You may as well tell me, because I plan on finding out one way or another, even if it means following you until you summon Shenron." He closed his eyes again like he was ending the argument.

Piccolo may have meant it as a threat, but Bulma was considering that having Piccolo around a good asset. It would definitely be a little weird, being alone with him, but then again she doubt that she would even know he was there half the time; especially if he planned to keep hiding like he had been earlier.

She shrugged and began walking back to the house, but stopped in the doorway. "So, then, do you want to come inside?"

"I'm fine."

Bulma rolled her eyes and then looked back inside. She turned towards him again. "Um, then can you at least take the dead bird out of the kitchen?"

* * *

Next Chapter: Female Namekians and Alien Anatomy

Because this discussion has to happen eventually.

Sooooorry for the long wait, but I've been in and out of the hospital, and I'm still a little drugged up on pain killers. I broke my arm after the strap on my sky high stilettos broke (which will now be the third break for the same arm, so they put metal plates on it), and it's difficult (ie a pain in the ASS) to type with one hand. I know; excuses, excuses. Also, sorry these chapters are short! It's building up. There's a lot that's going to happen in a little while, I'm just trying to decide how I'm going to introduce it.


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